PESHAWAR: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Labour Sher Azam Wazir on Monday termed the proposed long march of Dr. Tahirul Qadri as a "political gimmick" saying people will ignore it as they wanted continuity of democratic system in the country.

Talking to media persons here, he said the country was passing through a very difficult time and cannot afford political instability and politics of long marches, sit in.

He said people and PPP are custodian of democracy and will thwart any designs meant to derail democratic system in the country.

The Minister said PPP believed in power of masses and change through votes and anyone, who wants to be called as champion of democracy and rights of people, should participate in the general election and prove his popularity. "PPP has emerged as most popular political party in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and will make clean sweep in general election from here," he said.

He said PPP's roots are in masses and would get overwhelming majority in KP by making its critics silent on the basis of results in general election.

The Minister said a positive change had occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to performance of provincial President Anwar Saifulllah Khan and his cabinet and the confidence of workers had been restored.

He said holding of free, fair and transparent election was the responsibility of Election Commission of Pakistan and caretaker Govt.

He said Govt has appointed an impartial, honest and neutral Chief Election Commissioner and has blocked the tradition of imported Prime Minister through historic constitutional amendment.

Wazir said PPP leadership also desired holding of free, fair and transparent election and would provide level playing field to all political parties to congest general election.

He said the country's destiny was in democratic rule and not in politics of revolutions and long marches.

He said President Asif Ali Zardari had strengthened parliament by surrendering his powers and restored genuine democracy and parliamentary form of Govt.

Wazir said PPP was ready for election and urged party workers to start preparations for it.

He urged workers and local leadership to apprise masses of the achievements made by this elected Govt during its tenure.